CITES – Appendix I as E. l. nereis; otherwise Appedix II. U.S. ESA – Threatened as E. lutrisnereis in all of its range except for areas subject to U.S. jurisdiction south of Pt. Conception, CA (34°26.9' N. Lat.), where it is listed as an Experimental Non Essential Population; U.S. ESA – Candidate taxon as E. l. kenyoni; IUCN – Endangered.